Device for double twisting textile yarn

ABSTRACT

A device for double twisting textile yarn including a rotating assembly having a hollow spindle rod rotatable coaxially with a plate having a plurality of substantially cylindrical holes therethrough equally spaced around the axis of rotation and at least a pair of balls disposed in each of the holes in the plate, and a stationary winding support assembly including a pair of support members disposed on opposite sides of the plate and having edges forming eliptical ramps disposed in spacd parallel relation inclined relative to the plane of rotation of the plate, the plate extending within the space between the ramps such that the balls contact the ramps to prevent movement of the upper support member, the lower support member being fixed to a stationary frame. Yarn is supplied from a winding surrounding a spindle member coaxial with the spindle rod, the winding being mounted on a carrier fixed to the upper support member such that the winding is held stationary as the spindle rod and plate are rotated.

United States Patent [1 1 Gabalda Jan. 29, 1974 Primary Examiner-John Petrakes DEVICE FOR DOUBLE TWISTING TEXTILE YARN Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Sherman & Shalloway [76] Inventor: Carlos Matas Gabalda, Le Grand duc-rue de Prague, [57] ABSTRACT Granges-Les-Valences, France A device for double twisting textile yarn including a rotating assembly having a hollow spindle rod rotat- [22] Flled Jan- 1973 able coaxially' with a plate having a plurality of sub- [2l] Appl. No.: 326,744 stantially cylindrical holes therethrough equally spaced around the axis of rotation and at least a pair [30] Foreign Application Priority Data of balls disposed in each of the holes in the plate, and a stationary winding support assembly including a pair Jan. 27, 1972 France 71.02804 of Support members disposed lnqg fl iqq mq the s'lara'ana raving edges forming eliptical ramps 2% 6? 57/ 633 332 disposed in spacd parallel relation inclined relative to d 8 49 58/84 the plane of rotation of the plate, the plate extending 1 0 within the space between the ramps such that the balls contact the ramps to prevent movement of the upper [56] References cued support member, the lower support member being UNITED STATES PATENTS fixed to a stationary frame. Yarn is supplied from a 2,521,60! 9/1950 Planet 57/58.72 winding surrounding a spindle member coaxial with 2,587,758 3/1952 Pellat-Finet et al. 57/58.72 the spindle rod, the winding being mounted on a car- 2,795,l02 6/1957 BlOWl'l rier fixed to the upper upport member uch that the 2,873,570 2/1959 s 57/58-72 winding is held stationary as the spindle rod and plate 3,323,299 6/1967 Heines.... 57/58.83 are rotated 3,640,060 2/1972 Boyer 57/58.84

9 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures I gin so l ,i i r/ I4 x a t 1 1 l, I 58 i i i 5 i xv '10 I 1 l h I!!!) I 54 4e m 1 to '28 58 J 1 l 1 l 3Q 2e a) a i 30 DEVICE FOR DOUBLE TWISTING TEXTILE YARN BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention pertains to the twisting of textile yarn and, more particularly, to a device for double twisting textile yarn wherein a winding support coaxial with a rotating spindle is held stationary.

2. Discussion of the Prior Art Prior art devices for double twisting textile yarn include a winding support for the yarn to be twisted disposed coaxially around a'rotating, hollow spindle. The

winding support is held stationary while the spindle rotates such that yarn taken from a winding held on the winding support forms an unwinding balloon and passes through the hollow spindle to a plate mounted on the spindle and rotatable therewith. Accordingly, for each turn of the spindle, the yarn is first twisted along the path between a twist blocking device mounted at the inlet end of the hollow spindle and the plate, and a second twist is imparted to the yarn as it passes through an outside balloon formed between its exit from the plate and a balloon stopping device; There are four basic manners known in the prior art for holding the winding support stationary while the coaxially disposed hollow spindle rotates.

A first manner in which the winding support is held stationary relative to the rotating hollow spindle uses the effect of gravity in that the longitudinal axis of the spindle is inclined with respect to the vertical and a flyweight is secured to the winding support to create an imbalance operating against the tendency of the winding support to rotate about the axis of the spindle. This manner of immobilizing the winding support has the disadvantage that the winding support is not perfectly held stationary, and the winding support has an oscillating movement.

A second manner of holding the winding support stationary relative to the rotating, hollow spindle utilizes a magnet assembly wherein a crown or ring of magnets is fixed to the winding support opposite another crown of magnets disposed outside the balloon on a support fixed to the frame of a winding machine such that yarn travelling through the balloon passes between the crowns of magnets. This immobilization structure is not lOO percent effective and, like the first mentioned structure, has the disadvantage of permitting the winding support to be rotated. The possibility of rotation of the winding supports requires that such structures be equipped with safety devices in order to prevent accidents.

A third manner of immobilizing the winding support relative to the hollow rotating spindle provides positive fixing of the winding support thereby overcoming the problems mentioned above with respect to the'first two structures of inadvertent rotation of the winding supand the amplitude of oscillation of the winding support and the fly-weight attains a predetermined value. This means of immobilizing the winding support has the disadvantage of requiring precise, complex and expensive structure.

A fourth manner of immobilizing the winding support, such as that described in French Pat. No. 1,008,713, includes two parts rotatable alor axe s o b lique to the axis of the spindle, the parts being fastened together by needles rotating to maintain parallel axes. This means for immobilizing the winding support has the disadvantages that in order to rotate the parts housing the needles, bearings are required on the parts thereby rendering the design and structure of this means complex and expensive; and, further, during operation, the needles move in a circle whereas the cylindrical support parts due to their orientation relative to the spindle describe an elipse thereby generating a relative movement of the needles in relation to the parts and causing wear. It has been proposed to modify the latter means for immobilizingthe winding support by replacing the needles with shafts articulated at their centers to palliate the relative movements of the turning needles and cylindrical parts; however, the relative movement is transferred to the level of the axis of oscillation such that there is considerable wear due to the impossibility of changing the level since the movement generated by this structure is a gyroscopic movement translated vertically thereby requiring the use of spherical parts bearing on cylindrical bearings. A further disadvantage of this means is that considerable electric power is required for drive.

SUMMARY OF THE lNVENTlON Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to overcome the above-mentioned disadvantages of prior art devices for double twisting textile yarn.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a double twist spindle device including a winding support having, at the level of a rotating plate, a pair of stationary eliptical ramps disposed in parallel relation in planes inclined to the plane of the plate, and a plurality of balls disposed in the space between the ramps.

The present invention has an additional object in that a device for double twisting a textile yarn of the type including a hollow spindle member having yarn from a winding surrounding the spindle member passing therethrough, a twist blocking device carried on the inlet end of the spindle member, a winding support assembly coaxial with the spindle member and positively held stationary relative to the spindle, and a rotating assembly formed of a plate, a drive pulley and a spindle rod coaxial with the spindle member and fixed with the plate at the bottom and rotatably engaging the winding support at the top, the plate being provided with a plurality of equidistantly spaced holes through its entire thickness, such holes being substantially cylindrical and housing at least a pair of balls, the winding support being interrupted at the level of the plate to form a pair of stationary support members having eliptical ramps disposed in parallel relation and inclined relative to the plane of the plate with the balls contacting the ramps.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a device for double twisting textile yarn as described above wherein the upper support member mounts a winding carrier for the yarn and the lower support member is fixed to a frame mounting the hollow spindle.

Some of the advantages of the present invention over the prior art are that the double twist spindle device according to the present invention utilizes only a limited number of rotating parts, has only slight inertia to be overcome at the commencement of rotation thereby requiring reduced driving force, and the winding support assembly is positively held stationary relative to the rotating assembly without requiring complex, expensive structure.

The present invention is generally characterized in a device for double twisting textile yarn of the type having a hollow spindle member carrying a twist blocking device at an end thereof through which yarn passes from a winding surrounding the spindle member, the double twisting device including a rotating assembly having a hollow spindle rod disposed in coaxial alignment with the spindle member, a plate connected with the spindle rod and rotatable therewith about the same axis, the spindle rod adapted to receive yarn from the spindle member and having an outlet at the level of the plate for passage of the yarn therethrough and along the plate, the plate having a plurality of equally spaced, substantially cylindrical holes therethrough, and at least a pair of balls disposed in each of the holes having surfaces protruding from the plate; and a stationary winding support assembly including a first support member disposed on one side of the plate and surrounding the spindle rod and a second support member disposed on an opposite side of the plate and fixed to a stationary frame, the first and second support members having edges forming first and second eliptical ramps, respectively, disposed in spaced parallel relation inclined relative to the plane of rotation of the plate, the plate extending through the space between the first and second ramps with the balls contacting the first and second ramps whereby the first support member is immobilized while the spindle rod and the plate are rotated.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of the preferred embodiment taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a vertical section of a device for double twisting yarn in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side elevation of a plate of the rotating assembly of the device for double twisting yarn of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a side elevation of the support members of the winding support assembly of the device for double twisting yarn of FIG. 1.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT A device for double twisting textile yarn in accordance with the present invention is illustrated in FIG. 3 and includes a hollow spindle formed of a tubular spindle member coaxially aligned with a tubular spindle rod 12, the spindle member 10 having an inlet end carrying a twist blocking device 14 and the spindle rod 12 having an outlet end 16 with an opening therein allowing yarn to leave the spindle and travel along a plate 18 to which spindle rod 12 is fixed. A cup-shaped winding carrier 20 is disposed coaxially around the spindle and carries a yarn winding 22 disposed on a tube 24. Spindle rod 12 is driven by a drive pulley 26 which rotates a shaft 28 fixed to plate 18, the drive pulley 26 and shaft 28 being mounted in bearings 30 and 5 32 supported in a yoke 34 which is fixed to a crosspiece 36 of a frame of a winding machine, not shown. The pulley 26 is driven tangentially by a belt 37 in order to rotate the spindle rod 12 and the plate 18.

Plate 18 forms part of a rotating assembly 38 which includes spindle rod 12, drive pulley 26 and shaft 28, it being appreciated that the plate 18 can take the form of any combination of parts wherein yarn passes from the axis of the centrally disposed spindle rod 12 to the curved outer edge of the plate. To this end, the plate 18 can be integrally formed with the shaft 28 and the spindle rod 12 as well as with the drive pulley 26. The plate 18 has three equidistant, equally spaced holes 40 formed therein, the holes 40 having a substantially cylindrical configuration passing through the entire thickness e of the plate and distributed about the central axis of the plate on a circle having a diameter d. Each of the holes 40 has substantially the same diameter d,, and the axes of the holes 40 are preferably in parallel relation with the axis of rotation of the plate 18..Two balls 42 and 44 are disposed in superposed relation in each of the holes 40, the balls 42 and 44 having preferably substantially the same diameter d, with such diameter being slightly less than the diameter d, of the holes 40 but greater than half the thickness e of the plate 18. Accordingly, the balls 42 and 44 have surfaces protruding above and below the upper and lower surfaces of the plate 18, as clearly shown in FIG. 2. Balls 42 and 44 can be made of plastic, such as of polyamides or the like, or metal, such as steel, treated aluminum, or the like; and, advantageously, to further resist wear particularly at high speeds, the balls 42 and 44 are lubricated.

A winding support assembly 46 includes, along with winding carrier 20, a lower support member 48 mounted on yoke 34 surrounding shaft 28 and an upper support member 50 surrounding spindle rod 12, support members 48 and 50 being disposed coaxially with the rotating assembly 38. Support member 50 has two sets of bearings 52 mounted therein to rotatably mount spindle rod 12, and the support members 48 and 50 have inclined eliptical ramps 54 and 56 formed on the top and bottom thereof, respectively, with the plate 18 being disposed within the space between the ramps 54 and 56. Ramps 54 and 56 are disposed in parallel relation inclined to the plane of rotation of the plate 18 with the differential distance between the high point and the low point of each ramp being denoted sas best shown in FIG. 3. The support members 48 and 50 are, thus, both mounted coaxially relative to the spindle rod 12 on opposite sides of plate 18, and the coaxial mounting of the support members is assured by bearings 32 and 52, respectively. The ramps 54 and 56 of support members 48 and 50 engage balls 44 and 42, respectively, such that the distance between the ramps 54 and 56 is equal to twice the diameter of the balls 42 and 44 and is, therefore, maintained constant. In order to assure that the support members 48 and 50 are spaced sufficiently to permit rotation of plate 18 therebetween, the differential distance s of the ramps is less than the difference between twice the diameter d of the holes 40 and the thickness e of the plate 18. Further, in order to assure that the balls 42 and 44 are guided in the holes 40 in the plate, the differential distance s is preferably less than the difference between the thickness e of the plate 18 and the diameter d of the holes 40. The holes 50 can have any alignment relative' to the axis of rotation of the plate in order to cooperate with and engage the ramps 54 and 56 as long as the length of the balls in a direction parallel with the axis of rotation of the plate is greater than the thickness of the plate.

Good results have been obtained with the differential distance 8 between 1 and 5 mm., particularly close to 3mm., when working with synthetic yarns of current counts for standard textile applications, such as weav- In operation, during gyratory movement of the rotating assembly 38, plate 18 drives balls 42 and 44 in the holes 40. In the same hole 40, the balls engaging ramps '54 and 56 rotate on themselves and are driven in their rotation about the longitudinal axis of spindle rod 12 in an alternating up and down movement having an amplitude corresponding to the differential distance s of the ramps. Accordingly, the balls 42 and 44 maintain the distance between the ramps 54 and 56 constant. The tendency of upper support member 50, which is not fixed with the frame as is support member 48, to rotate about spindle rod 12 due to the internal resistance of the bearings 52 is prevented since such rotation would require either a decrease in the space between the support members 48 and 50, which space is maintained constant by the balls 42 and 44 in combination with the ramps 54 and 56, or the raising of the support member 50 which cannot occur because the support member 50 is held axially in position by clips 58 carried by the spindle rod 12 or any other suitable means, such as a spring or even simply due to the weight of winding 22 on the carrier 20, it being appreciated that the weight does not bear on the point of the spindle but on the balls between the support members 48 and 50. Since the series of balls 42 and 44 absolutely determine a constant space (211,), support member 50 will remain immobilized and in perfect angular correspondence with support member 48 thereby preventing any variation in the space between the support members.

In conventional manner, winding carrier 20 of the double twist spindle device is fixed to upper support member 50 such that the yarn winding 22 is maintained perfectly stationary during rotation of the rotating assembly 38 including the spindle rod 12 and the plate 18.

Yarn leaves winding 22 and passes through twist blocking device 14 to the inlet end of the spindle, the yarn then passing through spindle member and spindle rod 12. The yarn exits from spindle rod 12 at approximately the level of plate 18 and passes along the plate through a horizontal hole, not shown, extending between holes 40 to permit the yarn to leave the rotating assembly around the rounded edge of the plate 18 to converge, forming the outside balloon, toward a yarn guide 60 limiting the size of the balloon, from which the yarn is pulled by a winding device, not shown, of a machine to form a new winding of twisted or retwisted yarn.

The double twist spindle device according to the present invention offers many advantages over the prior art in that, as described above, the double twist spindle device of the present invention utilizes a limited number of rotating parts and, accordingly, has only slight inertia to be overcome as rotation is commenced and, therefore, is characterized by a substantial saving of driving force required for operation.

The double twist spindle device of the present invention can be adapted to any type of spindle, in particular, that type of spindle having a flexible bushing mounted on a suitable shock-absorbing system to facilitate rotating without risk at very high speeds, such as in the order of 10,000 RPM or greater, such speeds not being possible with present devices. Furthermore, since the winding support assembly is positively immobilized in accordance with the double twist spindle device of the present invention, safety devices are not required. Additionally, the double twist spindle device according to the present invention is easy to construct and mount, requires only a small space due to the elimination of parts external of the spindle intended for immobilization and is less expensive to construct and service than prior art double twist spindles. These advantages render the double twist spindle device of the present invention highly effective and economically advantageous over prior art double twist spindle devices. The double twist spindle device of the present invention can be utilized with any type of yarn, natural or synthetic chemical, of varied counts.

Inasmuch as the present invention is subject to many variations, modifications and changes in detail, it is intended that all matter described above or shown in the accompanying drawings be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

What is claimed is:

l. A device for double twisting textile yarn of the type having a hollow spindle member carrying a twist blocking device at an end thereof through which yarn passes from a winding surrounding said spindle member, said device for double twisting textile yarn comprising a rotating assembly including a hollow spindle rod disposed in coaxial alignment with said spindle member, a plate connected with said spindle rod and rotatable therewith about the same axis, said spindle rod adapted to receive yarn from said spindle member and having an outlet at the level of said plate for passage of the yarn therethrough and along said plate, said plate having a plurality of equally spaced, substantially cylindrical holes therethrough, and at least a pair of balls disposed in each of said holes in said plate and having surfaces protruding therefrom; and

a stationary winding support assembly including a first support member disposed on one side of said plate and surrounding said spindle rod and a second support member disposed on an opposite side of said plate and fixed to a stationary frame, said first and second support members having edges forming first and second eliptical ramps, respectively, disposed in spaced parallel relation inclined relative to the plane of rotation of said plate, siad plate extending through said space between said first and second ramps with said balls contacting said first and second ramps whereby said first support member is immobilized while said spindle rod and said plate are rotated.

2. A device for double twisting textile yarn as recited in claim 1 wherein said plate has at least three of said holes therein equally spaced around the axis of rotation of said plate.

3. A device for double twisting textile yarn as recited in claim 2 wherein each of said holes in said plate has substantially the same diameter.

4. A device for double twisting textile yarn as recited in claim 3 wherein each of said balls has substantially the same diameter, said diameter of said balls being slightly less than said diameter of said holes in said plate.

5. A device for double twisting textile yarn as recited in claim 1 wherein the length of said balls in a direction parallel with the axis of rotation of said plate is greater than the thickness of said plate.

6. A device for double twisting textile yarn as recited in claim 1 wherein each of said first and second ramps has a differential distance between the high and low points thereof, said differential distance being less than the difference between twice the diameter of said holes and the thickness of said plate.

7. A device for double twisting textile yarn as recited in claim 1 wherein each of said first and second ramps has a differential distance between the high and low points thereof, said differential distance being less than the difference between the thickness of said plate and the diameter of said holes.

8. A device for double twisting textile yarn as recited in claim 1 wherein said winding support assembly includes a carrier for said yarn winding fixed to said first support member.

9. A device for double twisting textile yarn as recited in claim 8 wherein said first support member has bearing means mounted therein in which said spindle rod is mounted and said rotating assembly includes a drive pulley and a shaft journaled in bearing means mounted in said stationary frame. 

1. A device for double twisting textile yarn of the type having a hollow spindle member carrying a twist blocking device at an end thereof through which yarn passes from a winding surrounding said spindle member, said device for double twisting textile yarn comprising a rotating assembly including a hollow spindle rod disposed in coaxial alignment with said spindle member, a plate connected with said spindle rod and rotatable therewith about the same axis, said spindle rod adapted to receive yarn from said spindle member and having an outlet at the level of said plate for passage of the yarn therethrough and along said plate, said plate having a plurality of equally spaced, substantially cylindrical holes therethrough, and at least a pair of balls disposed in each of said holes in said plate and having surfaces protruding therefrom; and a stationary winding support assembly including a first support member disposed on one side of said plate and surrounding said spindle rod and a second support member disposed on an opposite side of said plate and fixed to a stationary frame, said first and second support members having edges forming first and second eliptical ramps, respectively, disposed in spaced parallel relation inclined relative to the plane of rotation of said plate, siad plate extending through said space between said first and second ramps with said balls contacting said first and second ramps whereby said first support member is immobilized while said spindle rod and said plate are rotated.
 2. A device for double twisting textile yarn as recited in claim 1 wherein said plate has at least three of said holes therein equally spaced around the axis of rotation of said plate.
 3. A device for double twisting textile yarn as recited in claim 2 wherein each of said holes in said plate has substantially the same diameter.
 4. A device for double twisting textile yarn as recited in claim 3 wherein each of said balls has substantially the same diameter, said diameter of said balls being slightly less than said diameter of said holes in said plate.
 5. A device for double twisting textile yarn as recited in claim 1 wherein the length of said balls in a direction parallel with the axis of rotation of said plate is greater than the thickness of said plate.
 6. A device for double twisting textile yarn as recited in claim 1 wherein each of said first and second ramps has a differential distance between the high and low points thereof, said differential distance being less than the difference between twice the diameter of said holes and the thickness of said plate.
 7. A device for double twisting textile yarn as recited in claim 1 wherein each of said first and second ramps has a differential distance between the high and low points thereof, said differential distance being less than the difference between the thickness of said plate and the diameter of said holes.
 8. A device for double twisting textile yarn as recited in claim 1 wherein said winding support assembly includes a carrier for said yarn winding fixed to said first support member.
 9. A device for double twisting textile yarn as recited in claim 8 wherein said first support member has bearing means mounted therein in which said spindle rod is mounted and said rotating assembly includes a drive pulley and a shaft journaled in bearing means mounted in said stationary frame. 